This application relates to an improved bottle for dispensing liquid eye drops.
Liquid eye drops are commonly used to introduce over-the-counter and prescription medications into the eyes of human patients. The most common container in which these eye drops are supplied is simply a bottle with a tapered dropper. Notwithstanding the ubiquitous nature of such containers, it has been recognized that a container with a tapered nozzle does not provide for optimum means for administering drops into the eye. In fact, people using such bottles frequently bring their fingers into contact with their eye and eye lids to hold the eye open for administration of the eye drops which increases the risk of eye infection. In addition, traditional elongated eye dropper bottle tips may come in contact with eye secretions increasing the risk of contamination. Furthermore, the tendency of many persons to blink or flinch away during the application of the eye drops makes the administration of a consistent dosage of eye drops difficult for many.
Many different styles of eye drop bottles have been proposed to overcome the difficulties of the standard eye drop bottle. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,058,466; 3,279,466; 3,598,121; 3,872,866; 4,085,750; 4,543,096; 4,605,398; 4,834,727; 4,973,322; 5,064,420; 5,154,710 and 5,295,981, which are incorporated herein by reference, each disclose removable attachments which are affixed to a conventional dropper bottle. None of these devices have found commercial acceptance, however, perhaps because they all are complicated designs involving several separable parts and removable lids. U.S. Pat. No. 4,002,168, which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses a variety of different designs for an eye drop applicator which incorporate eye lid retractors of various types. In one embodiment, the eye lid retractor is pivotally moveable with respect to the dispensing orifice, and is said to achieve sealing of the orifice when pivoted into a closed position. No structure for accomplishing this sealing is disclosed, however.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved design for an eye drop applicator with an eye lid retractor, and in particular to provide a design for an eye drop applicator in which no separation or assembly of pieces is necessary to use or store the applicator.